Suicide bombings in Pakistan, 11 killed

A prominent anti-Taliban cleric and at least 10 others were killed today when suicide bombers struck at a mosque in an army supply depot in Pakistani city of Nowshera and at the compound of a religious group in Lahore.

A prominent anti-Taliban cleric and at least 10 others were killed on Friday when suicide bombers struck at a mosque in an army supply depot in Pakistani city of Nowshera and at the compound of a religious group in Lahore.

Maulana Sarfraz Naeemi, a leading cleric who played a key role in issuing a fatwa that declared suicide bombings as un-Islamic, was killed along with three persons when a suicide attacker targeted the compound of the Jamia Naeemia organisation in Lahore.

The attack took place shortly after the end of Friday prayers at Jamia Naeemia mosque. The bomber rushed through a large number of people leaving the mosque and barged into Naeemi's office, where he detonated his explosives.

Naeemi sustained serious injuries and reportedly died in a nearby hospital. At least a dozen people were also injured in the attack.In Nowshera, at least six persons were killed and 25 injured when a suicide car bomber targeted a mosque inside an army supply depot. The blast also damaged nearby houses and cars parked near the mosque.

Officials said Naeemi was targeted because of his recent criticism of the Taliban and calls for people to support the military operations against militants in Swat and nearby areas.

Naeemi organised a 'Save Pakistan' seminar on June 10, during which he criticised the Taliban and suicide bombings.

A policeman was killed and about a dozen others injured in a suicide attack in Peshawar last night, barely two days after the suicide bombing of a five-star hotel in the northwestern Pakistani city.